The Saudi Foreign Ministry on Sunday urged Saudi citizens to avoid traveling to Syria to those who were there to leave the country, reported the official SPA news agency. "Due to deteriorating security conditions in Syria, the Foreign Ministry reiterates its advice to the Saudis not to go there," said a statement issued by the ministry.

"The ministry calls the Saudis who are in Syria to leave the country," the statement added.

In late November, Riyadh had already called on Saudis to leave Syria.

In mid-March, Saudi Arabia announced it was closing its embassy in Damascus and withdraw its diplomats in Syria, due to the continuation of the bloody repression by the regime of Bashar al-Assad against a popular revolt.

Saudi Arabia is highly critical of the Syrian regime. In August, it withdrew its ambassador in Damascus and expelled the Syrian envoy.